411 The Christian tradition sees in this
passage an announcement of the
"New Adam" who, because he
"became obedient unto death, even death
on a cross", makes amends
superabundantly for the disobedience, of Adam.
Furthermore many Fathers and Doctors
of the Church have seen the woman
announced in the Protoevangelium as Mary, the mother of Christ, the
"new
Eve". Mary benefited first of all
and uniquely from Christ's victory over sin:
she
was preserved from all stain of original sin and by a special grace of
God committed no sin of any kind
during her whole earthly life.
Genesis 3:15
Then the LORD God said to the serpent: “Because have
done this, you shall be banned from all the animals and from
all the wild creatures; On your belly shall you crawl,
and dirt
shall you eat all the days of your life. I will put enmity
between
you and the woman,
and between your offspring and hers;
He will strike at your head, while you strike at his
heel.”
